Here’s why Youngstown State’s sports teams are called the Penguins?

The Youngstown State University football team will travel to Ohio State Saturday.

According to the NCAA, YSU is the only four-year Division I school whose mascot and team name is a penguin.

How did Youngstown State sports teams find the nickname of the Penguins?

Youngstown State found its name on a snowy day

Many sources say the name’s origin dates back to one snowy game in January of 1933.

According to ‘The History of YSU’ at Maag Library, the nickname was first used during an away game at West Liberty Teacher’s College in West Virginia.

The Youngstown players were visibly cold as the game was about to start. Their opponents noticed the men “flapping their arms and stamping their feet to keep warm,” while wearing black-and-white jerseys

“This caused the Liberty coach to say that the Youngstown College team ‘looked like a bunch of penguins’, ” according to Maag Library.

Other sources say a teammate suggested the name on the bus while brainstorming ideas. Another story said a radio announcer first called the players Penguins during the West Liberty game, but nevertheless, the name stuck.

The university basketball team has come a long way from flapping around on the court.

The men won 23 games this year, the most since the 1963-1964 season. Their record is 23-8, led by the Horizon League coach of the year, Jared Calhoun.

This story was originally published March 14, 2023 at 5:00 AM.